The present invention relates to a lever switch, in particular a stalk switch for a motor vehicle steering column, comprising a housing with connector contacts, a switch lever supported in the housing, a switch element actuated by the switch lever and acting on switch contact paths, and comprising a switch gate, which resets the switch lever or locks it in position.
Literature reference DE AS 28 10 790 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,658) has disclosed two steering column switches configured as lever switches, which are mounted by means of a support housing to a steering column tube of a motor vehicle. In this reference, one lever switch is located on the right side of the steering column and one lever switch is located on its left side. In such an arrangement each lever switch is designed for specific functions, which are performed by means of pre-determined adjustment angles and engagement or resetting systems. In the reference device, the switch levers are also actuated in different directions with respect to each other. The housings of the lever switches have different heights, thereby necessitating the use of different tools for their manufacture. Furthermore, the internal arrangement of the lever switches is widely varied; therefore, many different individual components are required in order to provide desired switching functions, resulting in very high tooling and warehousing costs, thereby making the manufacture of lever switches significantly more expensive. Furthermore, in applications where the number of items to be manufactured is not relatively very high, the startup of a cost-effective automated manufacture is made difficult.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a lever switch of the described type, which ensures an economical and cost-effective manufacture and which offers a wide variation of functions.